The Re-Making Of History
by CaptainS10
Summary: The story before my 'History Repeats'. How Artemis and Holly got together, and why Holly didn't know about Artemis III. Basically this covers their supposed 'fight' that I confused everybody with. You need no previous knowledge of HR because it happened before, so please R&R! Now complete!
1. Confessions and Joining Hearts

**Okay! This is a short story that will explain everything about how Artemis and Holly came to be together, and where Artemis III came from, and how he came to be. For those who remember History Repeats (which will be back up soon, currently under re-write, all of my stories are,) I know I confused some of you on that, as to Artemis and Holly's "fight" and how Holly didn't know Artemis III was her son. Like I said, this explains it. Obviously, it would take place beforehand. And now... On with the story! **

"Artemis! Open the window! It's freezing out here!"

The human in question turned, looking across the room to where his elfin friend, Major Holly Short of the LEPrecon police, was hovering outside his window, her tiny fists beating on the glass with such force as to rattle it. He walked over the white carpet to the window, sliding it open and raising an eyebrow at her. "Is it really necessary to smack the glass so hard? You're going to break my window one of these days, you know."

"I am not," she grumbled. "It's re-enforced and bullet proof, Butler made sure of that. Now get out of the way and let me in!"

He chuckled softly and shook his head, but nevertheless moved out of her way. She slid over the sill and slammed the window shut behind her, dropping her wings and the bag on her shoulder onto the floor and stalking quickly over to go hide under the mound of mismatched blankets on his bed.

"Really, Major?" he asked. "Honestly. It's not that cold out there."

Her head popped out from inside the lump blankets, and she shot a heated glare at him. "Glad you think so. I don't. How about you take on the fairies' sensitivity to cold, then go fly around outside in this weather for a while. When you come back, we'll see if you still think so."

Artemis raised his hands in surrender and walked over to perch on the blue sheets beside her. "No need to be cross, Major. I was just stating the facts. I realize it probably doesn't get this cold in Haven often, therefore you aren't used to the coldness of the temperatures. It would be quite a shock, such a sudden switch." He paused. "And as to your offer, I think I'll pass. I live in Ireland; such sensitivity to cold would not be good for me, especially this time of year."

Holly grunted incoherently. "Whatever, Mud Boy. Anyhow... I'm here for a reason. Foaly said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes, actually." He stood and began pacing. "I've been meaning to talk to you ever since that little episode with my Atlantis Complex, however, with all the commotion and the problems with Opal, there was no time to. Now that she's gone, and I'm back, I believe there are a few things we need to talk about."

"Like what?"

"Well..." he hesitated. "Foaly has no more cameras in here, correct?"

"Artemis, all the surveillance on you has been gone for years now. I mean, we had some on you during the Opal stuff, but that was purely for protection purposes. The only kind of bugs in this manor anymore are the ones you put in here. Are you okay?" she asked, slightly suspicious yet rather more concerned.

"Fine. And you know this for sure, right?"

"Yes. Why? What is this about, that no one can hear?"

He shook his head. "Hold on." Then, quickly, he walked over and locked the door. Holly jumped at the sound, springing to her feet.

"What are you doing?! Don't lock us in here!" she shouted. He didn't say anything. "Artemis! I am serious! What-"

She didn't get to finish, because Artemis walked up and put his hand over her mouth. "Quiet," he ordered. "Sit down, and I'll explain."

She stood there for a moment, watching him, then slowly nodded and sat back down. He removed his hand, then sat down beside her. "Okay... so, my Atlantis Complex," he began. "My alter, Orion... tell me, what did you think of him?"

"He was a fool and relentless romantic," Holly said. "Honestly, I didn't like him. If I had to deal with him much longer than I did, I think he would have driven me completely crazy, I'm telling you..." She shuddered slightly. "I'm glad he's gone."

Artemis winced, trying not to let her see how much the comment stung as he continued. "Well, he was a part of me, as you well know. Even if I wanted to deny that, I couldn't. I've tried, but I can't. Now..." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Now, I'm done. I can't deny it anymore. He may have been a moron, and more than a little annoying at times, but he said all the things that I should have said, and more." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Holly... Orion was telling the truth."

She blinked a few times, looking at him strangely. "What do you mean, Artemis?" she asked, though she thought she knew exactly what he meant. Her heart raced. It couldn't be... He couldn't mean what she thought he meant, could he?

"Holly," Artemis sighed, grabbing her hands and pulling them onto his lap. He squeezed them gently, murmuring, "sweet, amazing, oblivious Holly." He leaned forward, putting his lips by her ear. "Orion was right. He was telling the truth about me all along, practically screaming it at you with every word out of his mouth, and yet you stubbornly refused to recognize it. You still do. That's why, now, I have to say it... Again." He sighed, pulling back and looking her in the eyes. "I love you, Holly." Then he leaned down and kissed her.

Holly froze instantaneously, shock overtaking her as she sat there, stock still. She didn't pull away from him, or try to break the kiss, but she didn't kiss back, either. Artemis noticed this and pulled away himself, sighing. They weren't touching anymore, but he was still so close to her she could feel his warm breath on her face. "Artemis," she whispered, breathless. She looked up at him, and they're eyes locked. "I- I-"

"Shh," he murmured, gently stroking the hair in her eyes out of her face. "Just a moment, please."

"B- but I-"

"Holly, please," Artemis groaned softly. "Just... I need a moment. Give me a second to get myself in control before you do it."

Holly realized what he meant. "Artemis," she said quickly. "Look at me."

"Holly, I said-"

"Look at me!" she snapped. Sighing, he looked up at the elf.

"Yes?"

"Is this what you called me up here for, what you've been waiting all this time for? You're just going to say you love me, kiss me, and then cut me off and throw me out?"

"I never said anything about throwing you out. Admittedly, I did just cut you off, but only because, judging from your reaction to the kiss, I know what you're going to say, and-"

"Oh, really? What was I going to say, then?" Holly demanded.

Artemis rubbed his temples, as if this was giving him a headache. In truth, it was. "You're going to tell me that you don't love me back, and I'm a fool for admitting that I loved you and thinking you could ever love me."

Holly cocked her head, staring at him defiantly. "Funny, because that was the exact opposite of what I was going to say."

"See, I-" he started to say, then stopped, realizing what she said. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me," Holly said, climbing on all fours onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I love you too, and you're a fool for thinking that, after everything, there was even a slight chance that I didn't love you back." She buried her face in his neck and closed her eyes. "Got that, Mud Boy?"

Dumbfounded and speechless, Artemis just nodded.

"Good." She kissed his neck softly, then buried her face in the soft flesh again. They sat like that in silence for a minute, and then Artemis spoke up finally.

"It's getting late," he murmured in her ear. "Should I go prepare the guest room for you?"

Holly sighed and shook her head, never lifting her head from his shoulder.

"Aren't you tired?" he asked.

"Yes," she admitted. "But I don't want to sleep in there, all alone, tonight." She looked up and batted her eyes at him innocently. "Couldn't I sleep with you tonight, Arty? Pleeeease?"

He chuckled softly and nodded into her hair. "Fine, fine." He moved up, pulling her with him, and laid them both down at the top of his bed. He pulled the blankets over both of them, then closed his eyes. Holly followed suit.

That was how they fell asleep, in that same position, wrapped in each other's embrace... and neither moved all night.

**Please R&R! **


	2. Bonding and Babies?

**Okay, new chapter! :D In this, things are implied, but not too much detail. Though there is a little, it is not of the smut. (So to answer your question, Luminesyra, yes, there is.) Anyhow, enjoy!**

Chapter 2- Bonding... and Babies?

Over the next few months, Artemis and Holly's newfound relationship progressed extremely. Both of them grew more and more comfortable with the other. They spent more time together, bonding, and strengthening their relationship, their trust of the other... their love.

It continued to grow, until, unlike in the beginning, things became less fun, and more serious. That was okay, though; they were ready for it, and they both knew they were. This was the way it was meant to be, that they were meant to be.

Late one night, Artemis and Holly were upstairs together, alone in his rooms. The elf was staying for the week, having got a visa from Foaly and a short break from her commander. Kelp hadn't originally intended to send her aboveground for it, but when she asked, he sighed at her and told her that she could go if she really wanted to, but she had to promise to be careful and be back by midnight at the end of the week. Then he sent her to Foaly for a visa.

Now, Artemis was sitting in his computer chair, reclined back and reading a book. Holly was in the adjoining bathroom, taking a shower. He tried not to think too much about that, considering everything... it caused his mind to wander into strange territory, and that wasn't good, because Frond knew what Holly would do to him if she knew what he was thinking. But again, that was the purpose of the book- to keep his mind busy. Or, at least, some of it...

Curse my multitasking mind, Artemis thought, snapping the book shut and sighing.

Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Holly's head poked out. "Arty?" she called softly.

"I'm here, darling," Artemis answered, sitting up in his chair and stretching. Holly smiled slightly as she watched him. She liked it, for some reason, watching him stretch. He arched his back, almost like a cat, and pushed his chest out. It was really a sight to see, considering the man had next to-no-muscles, yet the ones he had were clearly visible when he did that. "Do you feel better?" he asked, after he finished.

She walked over and curled up in his lap, and he sighed, wrapping his arms around her. "Yes," she admitted finally. "I do. Especially now that I'm here with you."

He chuckled. "That' s nice," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her briefly, then pulling away again. "Ready for bed?"

"Are you coming with me?"

"Yes, of course." He slid his arms under her, lifting her off his lap and standing up himself. Then he walked over and dumped her on the bed, climbing in next to her. He rolled over and started to wrap his arms around her, pulling her closer, but she resisted.

He frowned, looking at her. "What are you doing? I thought you were tired."

"I am... sort of. But I don't want to go to sleep just yet," she answered. "I'm not that tired."

"Oh. Well, what do you want to do then?"

She smiled at him, rolling over to where she was laying on top of him. Putting her hands on either side of his head, she propped herself up over him and said, "hmm, I don't know. Let me think about it for a minute..." Then she leaned down and kissed him deeply.

Her tongue invaded his mouth, battling with his own for possession. They fought for a while, until he finally sighed into her mouth and gave in. She smiled triumphantly against him, sliding her hands up his shirt and around to his back, pulling her closer. Breaking the kiss, he rolled with her, so he was on top, and she was pinned beneath him.

"We can't do this," he said breathlessly.

"Why?" she whined. "Come on, Arty. Don't you think we've come far enough to-"

"I'm not worried about our status as a couple," he interrupted. "That's not an issue. I know everything is solid there. However, neither of us are protected, and you're fertile now, Holly. It's too much of a risk. I love you, and any other day if you said you wanted us to try this, I would agree, but if something happens..." he trailed off. The statement was not finished, but it didn't have to be for her to understand what he was saying.

"Artemis, I know what you're worried about, but I don't think that's even possible. I mean, look at Turnball and Lenor. They were together for how many years, and they never had kids. And we know that they were serious."

"They probably were smart about it, then. It means nothing, Holly, what happens to others. We are us, and you know how bad our luck is."

She stared at him. "Seriously, Artemis. Would it really be so bad, even if I did get pregnant? Isn't that what you want?"

"Yes, of course it is. However, I don't right now. In the future, I would be thrilled, but neither of us are really fit to be parents right now. It would be much easier to just not take the risk, and wait."

Holly sighed, deflating. "Okay, fine. You're right. I'm not. You win."

She pulled out from under him, moving to roll over on the other side of the king-sized bed, where she laid there on her side, her back to him. He watched her and sighed, recognizing the dejected tone in her voice. He honestly didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but it was the truth. He sighed again. I always did tend to go too far to prove a point... he thought.

Artemis crawled over to her, looking down at her face. She had closed her eyes, and although she opened them again when she felt him looking at her, she closed them again just as quickly.

He laid down beside her again, nuzzling his face into the soft skin of her neck. "Holls, come on," he implored softly. "I wasn't-"

"Forget it, okay, Artemis? I'm fine. And you were right; as always. I thought you would be happy that I gave in. That' s what you were trying for, weren't you?"

"No! Well," he amended, "yes, but I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just trying to stress the point, to make sure I got it across. It really wouldn't be safe."

"You didn't hurt my feelings. I understand. And you got what you wanted- I'm done; I won't try again. It's over. Now can I go to sleep?"

"No." He grabbed her arm and pulled her around, so she was facing him. "Come on, Holly. You're not being fair, and you know it."

Holly opened her eyes to glare at her human counterpart. "How am I not being fair? Huh? I stopped trying to get you to do what you obviously don't want to do, and now I'm trying to do what you originally wanted me to do, and you won't let me!" She closed her eyes again and rolled onto her back, then stared up at the ceiling. "Why don't you just tell me what I'm supposed to do, then?" she whispered, her voice cracking, "since I obviously can't do anything on my own that will make you happy."

"Holly," Artemis chided gently. "You know that's not true. Please, you're being unreasonable. You know I love you. And just being with you makes me happy." He paused, taking one of her hands. "And it's like I said: any other time, if you wanted to do this, I would gladly submit. But not now, okay? Not while you're fertile. It's not worth the risk, trust me."

She just nodded, and finally allowed herself to be pulled over, back into his embrace. He sighed, squeezing the sniffling elf tightly. He knew she was still upset, and he wanted to make her feel better, but he knew he couldn't without giving in. And he couldn't give in, even if the temptation was burning him like fire in his veins.

He laid his head down and was going to try to get some sleep, when something wet landed on his collarbone. He froze, realizing Holly was still laying in his arms, sniffling. Is she...? he wondered. No. Then he looked down at her sighed. She is crying. I knew it...

"Hey, Holls, what's wrong?" he asked, gently pushing her away so he could bend down and look at her face. She tried to turn her head away, but his hand caught her jaw. "Major. Talk to me."

"Nothing!" she shouted at him. "I'm fine! And I'm not crying! Now stop!"

"I never asked if you were crying," Artemis pointed out. She growled, turning away and wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands.

"Well, I'm not. Now leave me alone."

Artemis closed his eyes, sighing again. Is she going to be like this all night? he wondered inwardly. Then he sighed. Of course she is. Unless... No, I can't. It's too dangerous. Then he looked at her again. I suppose she's right. There's probably a one in a billion chance that something will happen if we do it. Or maybe one in a thousand, since she's fertile now... Still, is it worth the risk? He opened his eyes. If it makes her happy, it is. If something happens, we'll deal with it. In the meantime, she's hurt and upset, all because of me... "Holly," he whispered.

"What?" she snapped, rolling over slightly to glare at him again.

He didn't answer, instead grabbing her arms and rolling her completely over to face him. Then he jerked her up, pulling her to him, and crushed his lips against hers.

She tried to protest, and pull away, but he held her fast, quickly lowering her down on the bed and pinning her there with his weight, and then grabbing her hands and holding them, together, above her head, effectively holding her there. Then he broke the kiss and leaned down to plant little kisses down her jaw. She breathed lightly for a minute, and then asked, "what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he growled. "I'm getting ready to ravish you, of course."

Her breathing hitched as he moved down and started kissing down her neck, pausing at the collar of her button-down pajama top. He growled softly and nipped at the button experimentally, then frowned and reached down to undo it himself. Watching this, it took Holly a minute to regain her bearings.

"I thought you said we couldn't do that. It's not safe."

Artemis's hand stilled, and he looked up at her. "Do you want this, Holly?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then we'll do it," he interrupted. "I thought about it... and you do have a point. It is highly unlikely that something will happen, and if it does, we'll deal with it. Okay? So don't stress, and I won't either. Let's just do it and enjoy it while it lasts."

Holly beamed, and even Artemis had to smile a little bit. He loved watching her face light up like that. "Really?"

"Yes."

She laid back and closed her eyes. "Okay. Thank you, Arty."

"Mm," he murmured. "Yes, yes. If it had been anybody else, I wouldn't have went back on my word. But it was you..." He sighed. "You're just lucky I love you so much."

Holly smiled at him again. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

3 months later:

"Artemis! Artemis! Let me in!" came a voice from outside the window.

He looked to see Holly floating outside the window, beating hard on the glass. She looked scared.

"Hello, Holly," he greeted softly, walking over and opening the window. "What are you-"

He was cut off as the elf threw herself in the window at him, sobbing. She clung to him for dear life. She didn't even take her wings off; they were still on and attached to her back, and the window was still open. He was surprised, but caught her nevertheless.

He shushed her and gently pried her off of him, setting her down on the bed and walking over to close the window and lock it again. She whimpered, shaking, and curled up into a ball on his bed. She still hadn't taken her wings off, so he walked over and slid them off her shoulders himself. Shutting them down, he dropped them on the floor and sat down beside her.

"Holls, you don't look good. What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"I have to tell you," she whimpered. "But I don't want to. You'll be mad at me."

Now he was scared. What could happen to make Holly like this? Nothing he could think of, especially nothing that he would be mad at her for. "Holly. What on Earth are you talking about?" She didn't answer. "Holly, I am serious. Tell me."

Holly nodded, crawling up into his lap and muttering to herself. "Please, Artemis, promise me you won't be mad," she whispered to him.

Artemis grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her closer, squeezing her gently. "I promise I won't get mad at you, Holly," he promised. "Now, please, just tell me."

"Okay..." She leaned up and whispered in his ear, the last words he expected to hear.

"Artemis... I'm pregnant."

**Okay, who knew that was coming? :) Yeah, I suppose it may have been just a little predictable... but still, R&R!**


	3. Exposure and Trial

**Okay, this chapter is important, and it does get a bit confusing, so if anybody has questions, feel free to PM me and I'll answer the best I can. That is, if you don't hate me too much afterwards... ;) **

"You are what?" Foaly and Trouble shouted in unison.

"I'm pregnant," Holly repeated, slowly, emphasizing each syllable.  
This evoked two completely polar reactions from the elf and centaur: while all the color drained out of Foaly's face, it seemed to drain into Trouble's, as the commander's face turned a shade of red that would have made his successor, Julius Root, proud.

After Holly had told Artemis that she was pregnant, he immediately loaded her up in a shuttle and they went down to Haven. It would be better to get down there now, before it was demanded of them; this wasn't the sort of news you wanted to get over a video call, and even if it was, the Council would, no doubt, be wanting a tribunal once it leaked to their ears and would want at least one of them to attend. If they were already below ground, it would be much easier to deal with this.

"Pregnant..." the male elf murmured. "How under the Earth did you achieve that?"

Holly shifted uncomfortably. "How do all people get pregnant? Do you really need a lesson on this?"

"No... I just meant.." Trouble shook his head. "I didn't realize you were fertile now, Holly. I wasn't sure if it was implanted or..."

"No," Holly said quickly. "This was natural. Unintended, but natural."

"Fine. But still... you know what the Council will think of this, Holly. Especially because it's natural. And unexpected. I mean, if it had been cleared with them, maybe, but since it hasn't, I don't think they'll take the news well."

"Let them take it however they want to," a level voice called to them. "Any way it goes, we'll deal with it."

Everybody turned. Artemis was standing in the doorway, watching the exchange with his head cocked and his arms crossed.  
He walked over and put his hands on Holly's shoulders. "It doesn't really matter what the Council says now. What's happened has happened, and what it is is exactly that- what it is. They don't have to like it, they just have to deal with it."

Trouble nodded. "Of course. It's not a question of that. It has to be dealt with. The question is, how will they deal with it?"

"It all depends on how they take it," Artemis said with a shrug. "Either way, like I said, we will deal with it. Everything will work out fine as soon as I have enough information to make a plan."

Everybody agreed to that. Even Foaly murmured in agreement, even though he had been silent through most of the conversation.

Suddenly, a face appeared on the techie's screen. The Council's chairman's face popped up. "Looks like you're about to get that information," Foaly murmured. Trouble nudged him with his elbow, and Artemis shot him a look. Holly, however, ignored it, staring at the screen.

"Artemis Fowl II, report to the Council's chamber immediately!" the chairman bellowed. Then he abruptly cut the connection, leaving no room for argument or other responses. The screen went black again.

All eyes flashed to the human.

Foaly snickered, in spite of the situation, and said, "ooooh, Arty boy is in trouble..."

Holly flashed him a death glare.

Conveniently, the centaur decided to shut his mouth just then.

Holly nodded, then turned and wrapped her arms around her partner. "Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

He shook his head, squeezing her shoulder gently. "No. I don't think that would be a good idea, Holly. Just stay here, relax, and we'll talk about this when I get back. Okay?"

"Okay." she sighed.

"Thank you." He kissed her head, then gently pulled away from her. "I shall return," he announced, then turned and headed towards the door. He didn't say what he was thinking aloud, but the thought was prominent in his head: I hope...

Artemis walked slowly into the Council's chamber. He hadn't bothered to knock; they're was no sense in it. They knew he was coming anyhow.

"Good afternoon, Councilmen," he said, nodding respectfully.

A few returned it, however, Hilder, the Council's chairman, did not.

"Don't 'good afternoon' me, Fowl!" he snarled, jumping up and slamming his hands down on the desk with enough force to make it rattle. "Sit down, now!"

Artemis sighed, but did as he was directed, sitting at the small table in front of the podium. Hilder jumped down and stalked over to him, stepping up onto a stool and putting his hands down on the table. He leaned over the human, and, when he spoke, his voice was no more than a furious whisper, although it echoed through the vast chamber loudly nevertheless.

"What is the meaning of this?" he growled at Artemis.

"The meaning of what, Hilder?" Artemis asked, cocking his head and looking up at the man over him.

"You know exactly what. Don't give me the innocent line. You got Short pregnant?"

"Yes," Artemis admitted. "Unintentionally, but yes. Holly is pregnant with our child."

"I don't care if it was unintentional or not, it still happened, and it still has to be dealt with accordingly." He stood up, extending his back to his full height (which wasn't much,) and crossing his arms. "It has to die."

"What?!" Artemis exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "No! Why?!"

"It is a hybrid. It does not belong on the surface or in Haven; either way, it will stand out. That' s no kind of life you want a child to have. And anyways-"

"That is no reason for us to have to kill it!" Artemis argued. "It's not even logical! And my child could stay on the surface with me, and for that matter, so could Holly. Yes, later in life they would stand out, but not for several years, and even so, it could be fixed! Besides," Artemis added, "you have no rules against it. There are no rules that say a human and a fairy can't be together if they so chose, or that we couldn't have children together. Therefore, you can't make us do that."

"I can, and I will," Hilder growled. "You have taken too much from the People already, for us to let you get away with this as well! Be grateful that this is the worst you are getting!"

"This is the worst thing we could be getting," Artemis said quietly. "You're asking me to kill a child of my own flesh and blood; a product of Holly's and my love, and you expect me to be okay with it?"

"I never said you would be okay with it. I just said it needed to get done, and it will."

"It won't. I won't."

"If you don't do it, then I will," Hilder threatened.

Artemis snapped then. He had had enough. He snatched the little elf's shirt, hoisting him up in the air. "You will not lay a finger on my child," Artemis snarled at him. "Otherwise, you will be the one getting killed. And I will see to it personally. Understand?"

Now, any other person who saw this side of Artemis, even Holly, would be freaked out to the point of giving in, or they would at least be close. Hilder, however, was only a little shaken, and he simply said, "put me down, Fowl."

"And what if I don't want to?"

"Then you obviously don't want to hear all of your options."

Artemis hesitated, then sighed, dropping the elfin man on the ground. He didn't sit back down, however, instead crossing his arms and glaring down at Hilder. "What are my options?" he demanded through gritted teeth.

"Your options, yes..." the Councilman muttered, dusting off his shirt and smoothing out the wrinkles. "You have to make a sacrifice either way, Fowl, fair can have the child... or you can have Holly."

Artemis's temper flared up again. "I won't kill Holly, either, Hilder."

"Oh, perhaps you won't. Perhaps you won't have to. I'm not going to explain all my reasons to you, for that would take way to long, but I will explain the options. You pick with no further information than I give you."

Artemis sighed and nodded, rubbing his temples. "Do I have to pick as soon as you tell me?" he questioned.

"Oh, no. You don't have to tell me your decision at all. However, you do have to make a decision and stick to it, because if you think that use can use this to your advantage or trick me, you are mistaken. I will be watching you, every single move, and if you don't choose, then I will choose for you."

"You cannot plant bugs on me or in my household without permission. It is illegal," Artemis countered.

Hilder leaned forward, a smug smile on his face as he whispered, "I am the Councilman. I can do what I want. Nothing is illegal for me."

Artemis seriously doubted this was true, but he resisted from saying it aloud. Instead, he decided to humor the little man. "Fine. Bug me now, if you'd like, but when the decision is made, and it is all said and done, they had better be gone."

"Of course."

"Good. Now, what are my options?"

"Your first option is the simplest: you can kill the child. You can abort it, stab it, shoot it, I don't care. Do this, and you can keep Holly. Life can go on as it is now for the both of you."

"Not going to happen," Artemis said firmly. "Even if I went with that, life for us would never be the same, and our relationship would be ruined." He paused, then said, "next option."

"Your second, and final option is this: you can keep the child, and get rid of Holly. You don't have to kill her, but you have to stop seeing her. Either for life, or until you receive further notice from the Council stating that you can see each other again if you so please. Which won't happen as long as I have my way, just so you are aware." He paused. "Holly is not to know about the child; tell her whatever you want, but she must believe that something has happened. You don't have it, neither does she. It is gone." He stopped again to let that sink in fully. "And it must be kept from the human world. No contact with anybody other than the people who live in the household- human or fairy. It can't exist to anybody but them."

"I can't do that, either," Artemis said, after a moment. "It is certainly the better of the two options, but also the least feasible. I cannot do either of these."

"You have to pick one."

"Or what? What if I don't?"

"Then I kill Holly and the child both, and you will rot in a prison cell the rest of your miserable life," Hilder said simply. He crossed his arms and stared at Artemis resolutely.

Artemis shook his head, pacing rapidly now. "No. Neither of these are logical, or even feasible for that matter. I cannot do either."

"Then you are dooming yourself and the ones you love most," Hilder warned.

Artemis stopped and glared at him. "You are a vile creature," he snarled. "Why on Earth are you doing this?"

"I do not have to explain myself to a human," Hilder snapped. "Especially one with no regards to me or my kind, or our way of life. Remember this, human: you brought this upon yourself. You should have known there would be repercussions for your reckless actions eventually."

"You-" Artemis started to say, but Hilder just kept on talking right over him.

"You have until the baby has turned a month old to make and carry out your decision. Chose wisely what you do, and choose soon. Remember, I will be watching you." Hilder stood again, walking back up calmly to the podium and, ignoring Artemis's heated glare trained on him, called down in a level tone, "you are dismissed, Mr. Fowl."

Artemis stalked towards the door, but paused in the doorway to look back and growl, "this isn't over, Hilder; far from it. I'll do what you say, for now, but do not think that this is the end. Mark my words: I will be getting retaliation on you for this."

Then he turned on his heel, and, without another word, stormed out of the chamber.

**Like I said, if you don't hate me too much, and you have questions, I should have answers... so review or PM me if needed. But, either way, please R&R!**


	4. Names and Advice

**Okay, so... now we find out the baby's name! That is, what it will be if it lives... ;) Anyway, more A/H smut in this one, a little more descriptive, but nothing bad is anything more than implied. So, fair warning there... now read on! :D**

After the meeting with Hilder, Artemis went back to the manor and locked himself in his study to think. Of course, he went to the Ops Booth first, telling everyone things went 'okay' and that he had a plan to deal with things now. Which he did, though not one they all would have thought of: his plan was to go home, chew it over, and perhaps get some advice from his trusty manservant. Which was exactly what he did.

As soon as Artemis returned to the manor, he went upstairs to Butler's room and knocked on the door. The only reason he was checking there was because it was so early, he didn't figure Butler would be up making breakfast yet; however, he also had no illusions that the manservant was still sleeping. He usually only slept a total of about three to four hours a night- that was all he needed, even as he got older.

Indeed, the manservant opened the door after only a few seconds wait. "You're up early," he rumbled to Artemis.

"Yes, I know. I just returned from Haven, though. You know how long those shuttles take to reach the surface sometimes, especially when coming here." He sighed, then nodded at the door. "May I come in?"

"Of course." Butler stepped back to allow Artemis in before shutting the door and turning to him. "What's the matter, Artemis?" he sighed.

"Well, I've already told you I just came from Haven," Artemis began, sitting down on his employee's bed. "While I was down there, I had an... interesting talk with the Council."

"What do you mean by 'interesting talk', Artemis?" Butler asked, raising an eyebrow. "And why were you talking with the Council anyways?"

"Well, the Council held a tribunal regarding Holly's and my... situation," Artemis said. "That's why I was talking to them. And as for the talk itself, it would be easier to show you."

Wordlessly, the manservant nodded, walked over and dug out his laptop, then handed it to Artemis.

"Thank you. This will only take a second to get it pulled up and ready." He snapped open the laptop and turned it on, then immediately started opening several files and tampering with them. Butler didn't try to watch and figure out how he did it, because it made his head hurt, but in less than three minutes Artemis had hacked into Foaly's systems and pulled up the feed on the Council's security cameras.

"Here we are," he announced. "Just let me run it back a little and we'll be good... there!" He looked up at Butler, then handed the computer to him. "Watch this."

He pressed the play button.

Butler made about five seconds in before he stopped the computer and turned to Artemis with a look on his face that clearly said 'what the hell?'

"Holly is pregnant?" he asked, with a deceivingly calm tone.

"Yes," Artemis said, not meeting his eyes. "I would have told you sooner, but I went to Haven as soon as I found out. There were a few things I absolutely had to take care of down there, right away. I'm sorry for the delay."

"Of course. I understand," Butler told him. "But still... I already don't like this Hilder guy."

"Just wait. It gets worse," Artemis sighed. "Keep watching."

They resumed the video.

From there, Butler and Artemis watched the rest of the video in silence. Butler was taking it all in for the first time, processing it, and Artemis, on the contrary, was re-living it. However, it was still extremely hard for both of them to listen to.

After it was over, no words were spoken for a long time, until Butler finally spoke.

"Wow. That was harsh," he finally said.

"I know," Artemis replied thoughtfully. "What I don't know is what it was about. I think the whole problem was that he was worried about the exposure risk. After all, in both options that he gave me, the child wouldn't be known to the human world." He looked at Butler. "No matter, though. Both options are completely ludicrous. What do you think?"

"I think that this man is just looking for an excuse to get you away from the People, that's what I think," Butler said. "But I suppose you meant the options." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I honestly don't know. It's like you said, neither of the options are good, or even feasible for that matter." He paused. "Things don't look good either way."

"I know," Artemis agreed. "That's why I'm here. What do you think I should do?"

"What do you want to do?" Butler asked, looking at him knowingly.

Artemis sighed, standing and beginning to pace rapidly. "I don't want to kill the child, for starters," he started. "It's my own flesh and blood; like I said, it's a product of Holly's and my love for each other. Which brings me to that point: I could never hurt Holly like that. The guilt would kill me, and the sadness her. That's too much. And as for the second option... it would still hurt her too much. I can't ruin our life together for that, and it's not like it would be for humans. We can't just be clandestine lovers or something like that; it would be too suspicious. And how I see it, for the other option, the way I would have to convince her, is to tell her its dead. Another reason that's out. It would still hurt her the same as the first one." He stopped and looked at his bodyguard. "This is a no win situation. I have to find a way out."

"But how? Hilder is watching you, and presumably Holly as well. You can't let her in on this, either, and it... you have a plan, don't you?" Butler asked, stopping when he noticed the look on his employer's face.

"I have an idea," Artemis corrected, frowning. "But it's not likely to work. And if it doesn't, then I'll have to find another way out." His frown deepened. "I'm not liking the look of this, Butler. Not at all."

"What are you going to do about it, then?"

"I am going to go sit in my study and think," Artemis announced. "I have to come up with something better than I have now. And if I can't... well, let's not think about that." He sighed, turning towards the door. "Thank you, Butler. You know where I'll be if you need me."

Butler stood up and walked over behind him, patting his charge on the back. "Glad to help, Artemis. Good luck with your thinking. If you need anything else, I'll be in the kitchen cooking breakfast, okay?"

"Great. Thanks." Then he walked out, starting to half-run down the hallway to his rooms. Butler sighed, watching him go, and then turning and heading the opposite direction, towards the kitchen. Sometimes a few minutes of venting can go a long way, he thought hopefully, shooting the man now far behind him one last glance before sighing and disappearing into the kitchen.

About two weeks later, Holly showed up and started knocking on his window again. Artemis went slowly over and opened it to let her in. He took one look at her and knew something was up; she was grinning at him like a madman.

"What?" he asked immediately.

She dropped her wings on the floor and looked up at him, still beaming. "I got results," she told him.

"Results of what?" Artemis asked.

"The gender, the gender! Of our kid! Or should I say..." her grin widened a bit here, "our son."

"What?" he exclaimed. "We're having a boy?!"

"Yes! Isn't it great?"

"Oh, Holly, that's amazing!" He scooped her up and spun her around, then pulled her in and kissed her deeply. Though, he couldn't pull her completely tight to him now, because her belly was now a little round and he didn't want to risk hurting her or the child, he still managed. Then he dropped her down on the bed, leaning over her and nuzzling her neck. "You're amazing," he murmured, into her skin.

Holly giggled. "Not really, but thanks anyhow." She pecked his cheek again and said, "my, there's just so much to talk about! We have to think of possible names, and throw a baby shower, and-"

"Let's start simple," he interrupted. "Naming it, for instance. I don't really want to have to keep calling our child 'it'."

"True," Holly agreed. "So... any ideas? What do you want to name him?"

Artemis looked at her, his face deadpan, and asked, "what do you want to name him, Holly?"

"Hmm... I don't know. Maybe.. James? Oh, or Julius! I would like using the commander's name, definitely. Or maybe Kris?" She looked up at him. "You know, we kind of have to both like these, so a little input from you would be nice."

"I don't have any ideas."

"That's a lie!" Holly exclaimed. "Artemis Fowl always has ideas, for everything. Now, just give me one." He shook his head. "Come on! Please, Arty?" She tugged lightly on his jacket sleeve, staring at him with wide, pleading eyes, and he sighed.

"Fine, fine." He paused. "What about... Artemis? You know, to carry on the family name? And then all we'd have to do is think up some middle names." He looked down at her. "What do you think about that?"

She thought about it for a minute, and a grin slowly spread across her face. "I like that. I can deal with it... So, for the middle name, can we use Julius?"

"Artemis Julius Fowl the third," the man mused. "I like the sound of that."

"Yes!" She pecked his cheek. "Thank you, Arty."

"Of course, love," he murmured, kissing her neck. "Anything for you..."

They laid there in silence for a while, until Artemis finally spoke up and asked, "how long are you staying?"

"Until tomorrow," Holly replied. "I have to leave tonight, to go perform the ritual, but I'll be back afterwards. Presuming I don't get kidnaped again, it shouldn't take me long."

He growled into the side of her neck. "No."

She looked at him, raising her eyebrows. "What?"

"You are mine," he growled into her neck. Then he sat up, and, looking down at her with a playful smile, said, in that same tone, "if you think that will happen, then I must go with you, and keep you safe. Nobody is allowed to kidnap you but me." Then he leaned back down and started nipping at her neck.

Holly laughed. "If that makes you happy, Mud Boy, then believe what you want. And I'd be glad for you to come with me."

Artemis froze. He heard the last part, but didn't acknowledge it. "Excuse me?" he demanded.

"What? I just said-"

"I know what you said," he told her. "But indeed, I think you are mistaken in believing that I only believe it, and that it is not true. You are mine. I own your heart and your pretty little body, as well as you. I can make you do whatever I want." He kissed her once, briefly, then looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Or do you mean to tell me now you have given it away to someone else?"

"I haven't!" Holly said, blushing. "But I'm not a piece of property, either. You can have me; I'm yours, and you know that. But you don't own me, and I don't have to do what you say. It's not a hard concept to grasp, especially for you, with your big genius brain. Okay?"

"Do you honestly believe that?"

Holly blinked a few times. "Of course I do. It's the truth, isn't it?"

"Oh, no," Artemis said with a signature vampire grin. "Perhaps you are partially right, however... I can make you do whatever I please. I don't even have to give you orders, and you still wouldn't resist me." He kissed her shoulder. "You know how?"

"No... but I am curious as to how," Holly admitted. "Will you tell me?"

"Hmm... actually, I'd prefer to show you," he answered, after a moment of thought. "Sit up and close your eyes."

Holly did as she was told, though it showed that she was actually a little nervous to do so. He smirked, gently lifting her up and carrying her into the bathroom, then set her on her feet. "Don't move," he ordered, walking over to start running tub water. She jumped at the sound.

"Ar-"

"Hold on," he cut in. "Don't speak." Then, putting in a plug, he walked over and knelt in front of her, starting to unbutton the front of her blouse.

Holly shivered at the sudden blast of cold air on her bare skin. Her eyes opened. "Artemis, seriously. Is this even-"

"Safe?" Artemis finished for her, putting his hands on her shoulders and sliding the shirt off her. "Yes, of course. I did some research after coming back from Haven the other day; we can be intimate if we want, we just have to be careful. But don't worry, the whole point of this is to teach you a lesson, and I can do that without being rough... that is, if you cooperate and pay attention."

Holly's eyes widened a bit, and she nodded. "Okay. I got it. I'll behave, I promise."

"Good."He pecked her cheek, then looked over her shoulder to see whether he was unhooking her bra right. She blushed, but didn't resist.

He quickly removed that, and the rest of her clothing, before sending her to the tub and then walking over to shut the water off, clothes the door and lock it, then come over and kneel beside her.

"What now?" Holly asked him, squirming a little as he ran his eyes over her nude body.

"Now," Artemis replied, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "the lesson begins."

Holly swallowed hard and nodded, her eyes widening as Artemis slowly started to lean down over her...

Needless to say, Holly was very, very wrong about what she had said to Artemis before, and after Artemis was done skillfully teaching that to her, she was fully ready to admit it.

It was a couple of hours later before he brought her out of the tub finally, and she was exhausted, more than she could think of words to describe. Artemis was just as tired, yet thoroughly satisfied. Although, he hide his tiredness better than his elfin girlfriend did. She didn't even seemed to register that she was being lifted out of the water; she was half asleep already. As he carried her out, he chuckled and snapped his fingers by her ear.

"Hoooolllyyy," he crooned softly. "You awake, dear?"

She whimpered and covered her ears. "I am trying not to be. I want to go to sleep," she moaned softly, burying her face in his chest.

Artemis chuckled again as he unwrapped her from the towel and his embrace, dropping her in his bed. "I suppose. But, one more thing."

"What?" she groaned.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I want you to answer a question for me. Who was right, you or I?"

"I'm not playing head games now, Artemis, I'm going to sleep," Holly growled, tugging the blankets feebly and trying to roll away from her lover.

"Ah ah ah," chided Artemis, catching her. "Answer me, and then I'll let you go to sleep."

"Ugh," she groaned. "You're so annoying! You were right, I was wrong, the world is as it should be. Can I go to sleep now?"

"Fine, fine. But just remember that." He leaned over and kissed the side of her head, right on the tip of her pointed ear, chuckling when it caused her to whimper and roll over, burrowing deeper into the blankets. "Goodnight, Holly."

The elf didn't even merit that with an answer before passing out.

**What do you guys think of the name? Anybody who read HR before knew it would be Artemis, but I don't think I ever mentioned a middle name... Please R&R!**


	5. Decisions and Birth

**7 and a half months later-**

This time it wasn't Holly who came knocking with news.

In fact, this time, no one came knocking at all. The news came in the form of an interruption on his computer screen, and the face of a very worried looking centaur.

"Foaly, what did I tell you about calling me when I'm working?" he snapped irritably. "I-"

"Stick a sock in it, Fowl,"Foaly ordered. "You need to get down here, now."

"Why? What's happened?" Artemis asked suspiciously.

"Holly is being rushed to the hospital, Artemis," Foaly said seriously. "She's going to give birth."

"What?" Artemis shouted, jumping from his chair. "Why wasn't I notified sooner?" Foaly started to answer, but Artemis stopped him. "Never mind. I don't need to know, and I don't care at this point. How long do I have to get down there?"

"With our magic, fairy births typically can be cut in half of what it takes for humans, even for the first time," Foaly said thoughtfully. "But with a hybrid, it might take a little longer. I have no guarantees, though I would say it will probably take about three to three and a half hours. The shuttle ride for you usually takes at least two hours with no traffic... I don't know," he admitted finally. "It will be close, but if you get to the shuttle port in the next ten minutes or so, you might just make it."

Artemis nodded. "Okay. Thanks a bunch, Foaly. I'll see you there." Then, without even bothering to shut down the call, he rushed out the door.

On the way down, the shuttle couldn't move fast enough for him. He paced restlessly around the small space, muttering and cursing under his breath. It had already been almost two hours since he had gotten the call, and the shuttle ride was still another at least 20 minutes, guaranteed. He was seriously worried that he wouldn't make it in time.

Finally, the shuttle stopped. Artemis wasted no time, running through the door and rushing out before the shuttle had even hit the ground. He didn't wait for Butler; he took off running as fast as he could, heading straight for Argon's clinic.

He made it there in under five minutes, amazingly, panting and gasping. He rushed up to the receptionists desk and choked out, "Holly Short. What room is she in?"

The pixie on duty turned in her chair and looked at the computer briefly, scrolling down through the lists of patients. "Room 207, on the second floor, dear," she told him. He nodded his thanks and ran off again.

Several of his fairy friends were waiting outside the room Holly was in. Foaly stepped up and clapped him on the back, smiling warmly. "Just in time, Mud Boy," he said. "It isn't out yet, but it will be sooner."

Artemis nodded. "Great. Thanks for the notice, Foaly, even if it was late." He sighed, turned the knob, and walked into the room.

The first thing he saw was Holly. It was hard not to; she was the center of so many machines and people, you couldn't miss her. Among the machines was a heart monitor, an oxygen tank, and a few stands holding bags of liquids that we being pumped into her through the IV on her arm.

It didn't take a genius to know that she really shouldn't have to have all that stuff on to have a baby.

"Holly!" He ran over, pushing through the crowding people and machines alike, finally making his way through to get to his elf. Her eyes were fluttering, and she looked as though she was in a daze as she looked up and said, "Artemis?"

"It's me, Holly, I'm here," he promised softly. "It's okay. You're going to be okay."

She just nodded, whimpering slightly in pain and resting her head against his stomach.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," called one voice from behind him. He turned to see Holly's doctor standing about a foot away from him, looking grim. "Holly isn't doing to well, I'm afraid. She keeps slipping in and out of consciousness, and her vitals keep rising and falling. It's taken everything we have to get her to this point in the process with her and the child alive, and even so, it's still not looking to good. I'm afraid we might still loose her."

"How much more will it take?" Artemis asked through gritted teeth.

"A few more good pushes, and the child will be out," the doctor admitted. "From there we can take care of them both separately, and give her more attention. But she's still only half conscious,and rather weak; I'm sorry to tell you this, but if we can't get them out of her soon, it will be too late."

"I'll help her. Just go do what you need to do down there," Artemis ordered. The elfin man nodded sadly and walked back down to the end of the bed. Artemis looked down at the woman beneath him, and then at the heart monitor. Her vitals were dropping again, and when he looked at her he could tell her breathing was fast and shallow. The doctor was right; she didn't have much time.

He swallowed hard. "Holly. Holly, look at me." Her eyes fluttered, and she moaned weakly. "Holly! Open your eyes!"

"What?" she whined, her voice barely audible. "I don't want to! I want to go to sleep, Arty, pleeease... j- just let me.."

"NO!" he interrupted, his voice loud, but cracking. He knew exactly what would happen if she went to sleep at this point: she would never wake up. "Don't you dare close your eyes, Holly." The elf ignored him, until he snapped his fingers in front of her face and by her ear several times. Then she whimpered and opened her eyes, covering her ears.

"Stop! Why can't I go to sleep? I want to.. so bad..." She looked at him with tears glistening in her eyes. She didn't even seem to realize what she was in the middle of anymore; she had almost forgot about it. The only thing that was keeping her even tied to reality now was Artemis, and the pain. Both would go away if she could just close her eyes for a minute longer...

"No!" Artemis growled. "I said it and I meant it, Holly! Now listen to me: you are almost done, okay? I know it hurts, and you're tired, and everything else, but if you bear with me I can make it end shortly." He leaned down and slid his arm under her back, supporting her as he gently lifted her a bit. "Help me out a little here, okay? Stay with me, Holly!" he snapped, when her eyes started to close again.

"I am, I am!" she sobbed. "W- what do I need to do? How do I make it stop?"

"Push, Holls, just push. Give it all you've got, just a few times, and then it will stop and you can go to sleep."

"Really?"

"Yes. Then it will be over. I promise," he promised her, knowing he would be right, one way or another.

She nodded, closing her eyes and bracing her back, then pushed forward. Artemis sighed with relief and helped her, pulling and pushing and helping the woman as needed until the doctor finally said, "it's out!"

Artemis exhaled deeply, relief flooding through him. He gently laid Holly down, pulling his arm off her and whispering, "see, I told you. It's over, Holly... It's okay.."

Holly nodded, half sobbing with relief. "Okay... thank you, Artemis.."

He took her hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing it. He was about to say something else, when he was suddenly interrupted by the monitor beeping. He glanced up to see the heart monitor beginning to flat-line, dropping rapidly, and felt Holly's grip on his hand begin to loosen as well as he looked down at her just in time to see her eyes flutter closed again.

"HOLLY!" he yelled, as a team of fairy doctors who had heard the machine swarmed up and started wheeling her away. He started to follow, but Holly's doctor walked up and stopped him.

"You should go sit with your friends and family," he said firmly. "Holly will be perfectly taken care of whether you are there or not, and she's unconscious anyhow. We'll notify you as soon as we are sure of her condition."

"You'll do everything you can for her, right?" Artemis demanded.

"She'll have the best care we can provide, Mr. Fowl," the elf promised. "Now, I must go to attend to her. If you would like, you can go see your son while you wait. He was headed to the nursery, I'm pretty sure."

"Okay. Thank you." He brushed past the doctor, walking out and right past his waiting friends without a second glance.

"Where are you going?" Butler demanded, following him. "And what are they doing with Holly?"

"Taking her somewhere else to be worked on," Artemis said curtly, continuing walking.

"Why?" He grabbed the man's arm. "Artemis, talk to me! What is going on?!"

Artemis growled and yanked his arm away. "Holly is dying! The birth was too rough on her and she's slowly fading away. The monitor was flat-lining when they wheeled her out. There, is that what you wanted to hear?!" He turned on his heel and said, "now, I haven't heard a word about my child, and I would rather like to know how he's doing, if you don't mind. Please excuse me while I attempt to figure it out." He stomped away.

"That was rude," Caballine, Foaly's wife, said watching Artemis go with a look of wonder and a bit of offense.

"He's just worried, and upset. That's not normally Artemis; none of this is normal for him." Butler sighed. "I'll go talk to him."

Trouble stepped up and laid a hand on the man's arm. "Do you want me to come with you?"

He shook his head. "No. It would be better for me to go alone. Artemis probably would be calmer without so many people bombarding him right now."

The male elf nodded. "I understand. Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it," Butler muttered, shaking his head as he slowly turned and started to go after his charge.

Butler saw the charge in question behind the glass of the nursery, staring down at cradle in the office. However, he couldn't see the child; Artemis's body blocked it.

He walked in and looked at the man. He was staring down at the child in the bed- his child. He grabbed his hand, clucking softly and gently rubbing his thumb on the back of the tiny little hand. At first, Butler didn't think he even realized that he was there, but then he suddenly whispered, "I can't kill him. I can't. I wanted to, for a few minutes... But now..." He looked up at him, the most adoring look in his eyes. "I- I can't."

Butler laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"No," he answered honestly. "And I have no idea what am I going to do. What do you think?"

"Artemis, it isn't my choice. You really should decide yourself."

"But I can't decide. There's no way for me to take that I don't hurt somebody I love. And even if there was... Butler, I can't do this," Artemis whispered, closing his eyes. "Any of it. Just thinking about this is painful.."

"You have to do something, Artemis," Butler chided gently. "Even if it's not what Hilder told you to do, something has to be done."

"I know," Artemis said, his voice cracking. "But if I don't do what Hilder said, one of the things he said, he said he'd kill them. You heard that. And even if he wouldn't actually go through with it, I can't take that risk. And the worse part is... I think he would," Artemis said. "Even if he didn't succeed, I don't doubt he would try."

Butler nodded. "I agree... but still, you can't do that. You know it."

"I have to," Artemis sighed. "There's no choice. I love Holly; but I love my son too. And I can't let him die..." He took several deep breaths. "I have to do this, Butler. I have to stop seeing Holly. She'll understand... and besides, after I do what I have to do, she won't want to see me anymore anyhow."

"What will you tell her?"

Artemis swallowed hard, stroking the baby's forehead for a moment before sighing and picking him up. He held him for a minute, and then handed him over to Butler. "T-take him. I'm going to talk to the nurse. "

"Artemis. What. Will. You. Tell. Holly?" he demanded, realizing that the man was dodging the question.

"I'll tell you later, when we both return to the manor. Please, can I just deal with this first?" he pleaded.

Butler sighed. "Fine. What are you going to talk to the nurse about?"

"Thank you. And I'm going to ask whether we can take him home or not," Artemis answered. Then he walked out of the room, heading out to the nurses desk to go talk to the woman on duty.

Butler sighed, looking down at the child in his arms. He was so small, especially in the giant's arms. He was awake now, too, and staring at the manservant with big eyes: one blue, and one hazel.

He smiled when he saw that. Artemis would be thrilled when he saw it, as would Holly. That is, if she were ever to know...

Artemis came back in a few minutes later, the nurse right behind him. "They would never allow this at a human hospital, you know," the woman said, smiling as she took the baby from Butler and started wiping him down. "Lucky for you, though, this is a fairy hospital, and we have the magic and technology to make sure that this child is as healthy as he can be." She wrapped him in a blanket as she spoke, then handed him to Artemis. "There you go. If there is any problems, or you need anything, call us. I'm sure you know the number." She paused. "There's a shop down the street where you can get everything you need. Okay?"

"Good. That will be a big help. However, he can take human formulas and that kind of thing, right?"

"Oh, yes. He can take any formulas that humans use, and everything like that. Just watch out for anything that might cause an allergic reaction of some kind."

"Great. Thank you." Artemis smiled at the woman, then turned and walked out of the room. Butler nodded at her, then followed.

Outside the door, Artemis turned and handed the little baby to Butler. "Take him and get what he needs, then go back to the manor," he instructed. "I'll meet you there later."

"Why? Where are you going?"

"I have to check on Holly," Artemis said. "And give her the news. I... she'll be devastated, but..." He took a deep breath. "It's for the best."

"What news?"

"Haven't you heard?" Artemis asked. Confused, Butler shook his head. Artemis said, "the baby is dead. He didn't make it. Now, go back to the manor." With that, he turned and started walking away, leaving Butler to figure it out on his own. When he did, he was so stunned, his jaw almost dropped. Almost.

_He's going to tell her the baby is dead..._


	6. Death Notices and Recovery

**Okay, so last chapter was kinda brutal.. this one is too, and so is the next one. On the bright side, the next chapter is the last one, so no more suffering after that! ..for now. ;)**

**For those who wanted it, I will be writing a short-one shot on how Samantha came into being when I'm done with this. But it will take place after this, and that's why I am waiting. And now... onto the story!**

Artemis started to head back to the waiting room, but he ran into the doctor on the way there. The man stopped him and said, "she's in the recovery room now, Mr. Fowl. I grant you, she doesn't look the best, but she'll make it."

Artemis exhaled deeply, relieved. "Thank you, doctor."

"No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job." He extended his hand, and Artemis took it. They shook hands and then parted ways, both scurrying in opposite directions, although for equally important reasons.

It took a few minutes to walk down to the recovery room, as it was clear at the other end of the floor from the nursery. But that was okay, because it gave him a little time to think.

I really hope I'm doing the right thing, Artemis thought, as he slowly walked up and came to a stop in front of the big double doors. Then he sighed. It has to be. If it keeps them both safe, then it's the right thing to do... although, that doesn't meant that this won't hurt like hell.

He slowly opened one of the doors, peeking cautiously inside. There weren't many fairies in the room, only about maybe ten or fifteen, and that was counting guests as well.

Holly was clear in the back, on the same bed she had been on during the birth, alone. He breathed a sigh of relief on seeing her, unconscious but alive again, and wasted no time in rushing over to her and kneeling by her side.

"Holly," he breathed, taking her hand and rubbing it. She groaned softly, rolling over to look at him. Her eyes fluttered open, then closed, then open again. This time, they stayed open.

"Artemis?" she croaked.

"Yes, Holly, it's me." He squeezed her hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sleepy, but alive," Holly said, yawning. She blinked a few times, then scooted over a little and rested her head on his arm, hugging it. "So, have you seen him?"

"Who?" Artemis asked, knowing exactly who, but praying he was wrong. I'm not ready to talk about this yet...

She gave him a funny look. "Our son, of course. Who else?"

Artemis grimaced, hating what he was about to say, but knowing he had to. "About that... Holly, I really don't know how to say this... we don't have a son."

"What do you mean?" she demanded. "It did come out a boy, right?"

"Yes, he was a boy," Artemis sighed. "The thing is..." He hesitated, taking a deep breath, then said, "he's dead, Holly."

"What?!" the elf shrieked. "How? No! T- that's not possible!" She sat up slightly, looking at him with the most pleading look he'd ever seen, especially from her. "Please tell me this is some kind of sick joke," she begged, tugging his sleeve. "You can't be serious."

"Holly... I wish I could," he said honestly. "I really do. But it's the truth; our son is gone. He didn't make it." He looked down at her, sympathy and hurt showing in his eyes as he watched her shake her head rapidly, tears sliding down her cheeks. Her whole body wracked with sobs as she clung to him for all she was worth. He cradled her gently against him and made soft, soothing noises in her ears, but it was no use. She wouldn't calm down.

She laid there and cried in his arms for so long, he ended up laying there holding her for most of the night, even after her tears had subsided.

Finally, she fell asleep in his arms, and he laid her back down on the bed and went to talk to the nurses about getting checked out. By the time Holly woke up again, he had all of the stuff gathered up, and ready to go, even the discharge papers.

Holly was rather quiet the whole day, no doubt deep in thoughts and almost buried in grief. She wouldn't do anything, for a while; the next morning, it took everything Artemis had to force her to eat something.

It took days to get him to convince her to come out of her little shell again, and even then she would only do simple things. She would talk, but would only give simple yes or no answers to every thing. She would eat and drink, but she never ate much; it was always just enough to get by.

It took weeks for Artemis to pull her almost completely out of the funk she was in, and he had to stay below ground the whole time. It killed him to be down there, knowing his son was up at the manor waiting for him, but it also killed him to think of leaving Holly like this. My son will still be there when I'm done here, Artemis resolved, dismissing the line of thought.

In the end, it was worth it. It took a while, but Artemis finally managed to get Holly almost back to her normal self. She started getting up, and moving, and interacting fully with other people again, and she even went back to work. But the whole time, anyone could see, she had a different sort of look in her eyes. You could still see that fiery defiance, and the strong personality, and everything else that made Holly who she was. But if you looked a little deeper, you could also see the shadow of the pain, all of the pain that life had put her through, brought even closer into view by this new tragedy, and the new blow to her heart.

And this time, that shadow wouldn't fade back like it did before, because this hurt wouldn't fade out and dull, like the others. It would remain the same, and remain there, forever.


	7. Splitting Hearts

**Okay, so, last chapter! Unfortunately, it's still sad, but I will resolve that in the new History Repeats... Which will be coming out in February! In the meantime, I think I should write that one-shot about Sam... ;)**

It was a few weeks after the birth that Artemis was finally able to return to Fowl Manor. Finally having gotten Holly mostly straightened around, he felt it was safe, and that she wouldn't close down again after he left. However, he could still remember clearly that looked in her eyes, the hurt and fear that shouldn't have been there, but was because of him. He felt another pang of guilt, but shook it off, knowing it was too late to change it now anyhow.

As soon as the young man walked through the doors of his home, he was bombarded by family, and his Butler, who handed him his child without a word. He took him, closing his eyes and just enjoying holding his child in his arms again, and sighing when he realized that this was the last piece he had of his love. He pushed the thought away.

"Oh, Artemis! Look at his eyes, too, dear!" Angeline told her son with way to much enthusiasm.

Artemis gave her a quizzical look. "What's wrong with hi- oh Frond!" he yelped, when he saw them. "His eyes are blue and hazel!"

"One of yours, one of Holly's," Butler said, smiling. "I guess it turns out you didn't loose that hazel eye after all."

"I guess I didn't," Artemis said, still amazed. He looked down at his son again and smiled at him, and, to his even bigger surprise, the baby smiled back.

"Aw, that's so cute!" Juliet squealed. "He smiled at him!"

"Which one?" Artemis the first asked, and they all laughed. "Okay, seriously. Let's give our boys a little time alone together, to let them settle in. Come on, Angeline." He took his wife's arm and pulled her away, and everybody else slowly followed suit, leaving Artemis and his son alone.

"Guess it's just you and me, huh?" he sighed to his child. Then he kissed his forehead and said. "Alright. Let's go get settled in."

It was a few weeks later that it happened. In fact, it was the very last day before Artemis the third would have turned a month old, when Holly came knocking at Artemis's window again.

At first, he didn't realize what it was. At the time, he was sitting in Artemis's nursery, trying to rock the child to sleep. He wasn't having much of an issue, as the boy didn't seem to mind going to sleep and often didn't wake up unless there was something that woke him up, when suddenly he heard it again. A loud, insistent tapping.

Artemis looked down at the child in his arms. He didn't seem to hear it, or if he did, it wasn't bothering him. He was about half asleep, and his eyes were closed, so Artemis put him down in his bed and went into his room to see what was going on.

He walked in and looked around, and his eyes locked on the window. "Holly!"

He walked over and opened it, and the elf flew inside. For a while, she just hovered there, and they stared at each other. Then finally, she dropped down on his bed and spoke in a low voice. "Hi," she said sheepishly.

He chuckled, sitting beside her. "Hello, Holly. What brings you back here?"

"I..." she stopped. "Artemis, we need to talk. We both know it, and we can't keep putting it off."

"Yes, I've been thinking the same thing," he agreed, sighing. "We do need to talk. I have a feeling I know what you're going to say, but do go on and say it anyhow."

"I just... I- I don't think this is going to work out," Holly explained, sadness creeping into her voice. "At first, I thought it would. I mean, we started out well, and I won't lie, I enjoyed our time together as more than friends... But I'm sure you would understand what I mean when I say it's just to painful now?"

Artemis nodded, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I get it, Holly. Honestly, I was surprised that you came back here at all."

She shrugged. "I couldn't just blow you off, considering everything. I felt like I had to talk to you about it, but..." she sighed, looking down and letting the sentence trail off. "Artemis... I- I honestly don't even know what to say. I can't think of any way to soften the blow, either. My point is, we're over. I don't want it to be this way, but I think it would be better, for both of us." She shook her head, looking down and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. When she looked up, he could see she was crying. "I'm sorry... Please don't hate me for this."

Artemis sighed, pulling the elf in and hugging her. "You know I could never hate you, Holly," he sighed, burying his face in her hair. "I understand." He sighed again, rubbing her back. "Its okay."

Just like before, he ended up sitting there holding her for at least an hour. Finally, he kissed the top off her head gently and pushed her away. "You should go," he told her. "Its a long flight back, especially in the dark, and the longer you stay here the harder it will be for you to go." He pushed her hair back out of her face, then leaned down to kiss her one last time. It took everything he had to pull back.

She nodded, wiping her eyes again. "Okay. I'll... Maybe- maybe I'll call you later. Just, you know, so you know I got back safely." She stood up. He rose with her.

"Of course," he agreed, inwardly knowing that was a call that would never come. He bent down and hugged her one last time. "Goodbye, Holly."

Holly squeezed him probably a little tighter than was necessary, but he didn't say anything, knowing she needed it. Finally, she released him, whispering, "goodbye, Artemis..."

Then she turned, flying out the window, and was gone.

Artemis stared out the window for a minute, then sighed. Rubbing his eyes, he headed back into the nursery.

Neither of them knew that that would be the last time that they saw or heard from the other for almost thirteen years.

**Please let me know what you thought! Also, this clears everything up, right? If there's still anymore questions, just PM me or leave me a review and I'll be happy to help! :)**


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